When we talk to HR leaders, we hear some common barriers or myths that stop companies from modernizing their approach to employee recognition. These myths can be especially frustrating for anyone who is passionate about bringing social recognition to their company. That’s why we’ve outlined the six most common myths below with tactics for combatting these myths in your organization.

Also embedded within this post is a new episode of WorkHuman Radio where we speak to Marcy Ricci, one of our solutions consultants, about the six recognition myths and how she’s worked with companies like yours to tackle similar challenges.

“I don’t have time.” – Compared to many HR initiatives that can take years to execute, recognition is one of the fastest to implement. Most Globoforce recognition programs are strategized, designed, and launched in a matter of months – and no other program you invest in will deliver return as quickly as recognition. Plus, if you’re a Workday customer or going through a Workday implementation, you can easily integrate recognition into your Workday HCM solution.

“I don’t have IT (information technology) resources.” – Required IT resources for launching social recognition are minimal. You’ll just need input from IT when deciding how your employees will access the system and managing the employee data that supports your program’s business rules. Learn more about HR and SaaS here.

“I don’t have the expertise to pull this off.” – No prior experience is required. In fact, most organizations today that embark on a social recognition initiative are doing so for the very first time. And most HR professionals who lead these projects tell us it’s the most fun and most important work of their career. Check out this Q&A with Claire Grey on Cisco’s recognition journey. And if you’re attending WorkHuman next month in Phoenix, you’ll hear firsthand from our customers on how they’ve found success.

Do these myths resonate with you? Are there any other barriers you’ve faced when it comes to modernizing recognition at your company? Please share in the comments and let us know! We’d love to hear from you.

As Managing Editor, Sarah manages Globoforce’s blog and writes content about making work more human for people and organizations worldwide. She has a BA in English and Writing from University of Rhode Island.

2 Responses to 6 Recognition Myths Debunked

Item 4 is actually misleading and, based on substantial longitudinal research, incorrect (and obviously skewed to market the self-referential link to Globoforce awards program). Gallup and others have concluded that monetary awards are significantly displaced by growth and development opportunities. Not to get too far in the weeds here, sure, transactional incentives, such as pay increases based on performance, are the right and just thing to do (if objectively accountable, as well as fairly and equitably applied), but bonuses do not alter work behavior. Further, while managers think employees leave because of pay or lack of pay incentives, they actually leave for failure of providing purpose, growth, feeling like a valued member as a function of participation. The research is very clear on this conclusion.

Hi Vincent, Thank you for reading and for your thoughtful response. I absolutely agree that bonuses alone do not alter work behavior. We have found that e-thank yous, or recognition without a monetary award, are a great start for companies that have no recognition to begin with. But for sustained employee engagement and growth of a recognition program, we recommend frequent, meaningful recognition given to a larger employee base in the form of smaller awards throughout the year. Stay tuned, as we have a guest post scheduled in the next few weeks that will address new research in this area. Best, Sarah